By Thomas Viola
(Photo by Thomas Viola, Vegas Sports Today)
Team Reilly Smith and the Golden Knights alumni claimed back to back titles in the annual Battle for Vegas, beating Team Maxx Crosby and the Raiders 22-21 on a walk off home run in front of a full house at the Las Vegas Ballpark Saturday night.
On a night where Las Vegas Raiders and Golden Knights battled it out for supremacy on the softball diamond, the city of Las Vegas were the true winners, as the teams raised more than $300,000 for charity on the evening.
Team Maxx Crosby
(Photo credit: Slime Tarantino via IG)
Team Crosby charged out to an early 10-1 lead, but a 10-run second inning for Team Smith put the Golden Knights players right back on top after 2. The teams would trade leads back and forth, with Team Smith captain Reilly Smith hitting a 3-run home run in the 4th inning.
The game featured one injury scare, as Raiders cornerback Nate Hobbs had a fly ball hit him in the face, leaving him with a bloody and no doubt sore eye. Fortunately, Hobbs did not appear to be hurt too badly, as he still took his next at bat before leaving the game.
Team Reilly Smith
(Photo: Thomas Viola, Vegas Sports Today)
Team Reilly Smith also claimed supremacy in the pregame Home Run Derby, thanks to 15 home runs from Dylan Coghlan, and another 16 slugged by VGK trainer Raul Dorantes, who became famous for his 15 home run performance in last year’s derby.
The teams featured players of both past and present, with current Knights Jack Eichel, Logan Thompson, Adin Hill, Keegan Kolesar, and Shea Theodore were joined by hometown favorite Ryan Reaves, who once again made his return to Vegas to compete. For the Raiders, Maxx Crosby was joined by David Long Jr., Dylan Parham, Hobbs, Tre’Von Moehrig, Daniel Carlson, and AJ Cole. Oakland A’s legend and Las Vegas resident Jose Canseco joined Team Crosby as well.
It is unclear whether Reilly Smith, an original Golden Knight who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins this offseason, will return and resume his captaincy for Battle for Vegas 2024, but if this truly was his swansong, he picked a high note to go out on after an illustrious tenure in Las Vegas.
